Air conditioning system for vehicle

ABSTRACT

An air conditioning system for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a cooling duct and a heating duct provided as spaces partitioned by a partition wall and an evaporator core and an inner condenser disposed respectively in the cooling and heating ducts. An outer condenser is connected to the inner condenser and the evaporator core via one refrigerant passage. An air volume regulation door is disposed upstream of the evaporator core and the inner condenser in an air flow direction, and a common blower is disposed at one side of the cooling and heating ducts to simultaneously form an air flow in the cooling and heating ducts.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0175634 filed on Dec. 10, 2015, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air conditioning system for a vehicle, and, more particularly, to an air conditioning system that performs air conditioning more efficiently under specific operating environments.

Description of the Related Art

Generally, vehicles are equipped with air conditioning systems to cool or heat the interior thereof. The cooling system of air conditioning systems for vehicles includes a compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant compressed by the compressor, an expansion valve that allows the liquefied refrigerant condensed by the condenser to be a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant, an evaporator that cools air using evaporative latent heat (e.g., latent heat of vaporization) of the refrigerant, etc. The cooling system generally adjusts absolute humidity by decreasing the temperature of air.

In the heating system of air conditioning systems, coolant for cooling heat in an engine room has high temperature by absorbing heat of an engine, and such high-temperature coolant is used as a heat source. Further, the heating system includes a heater core, a pump for circulation of coolant in the engine, etc. The heating system generally adjusts relative humidity by increasing the temperature of the air. In air conditioning systems of the related art, cold air is supplied in a cooling system and hot air is supplied through coolant in an engine. However, it may be necessary to change the structure of air conditioning systems according to different operating environments. In particular, when coolant is not present in an engine, it may be difficult to constitute existing air conditioning systems and the system may be inefficient.

The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present invention provides an air conditioning system having an optimized structure and improved efficiency by providing a new heat source to supply hot air, and of regulating air volume in cooling and heating ducts to increase efficiency during cooling or heating operation.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an air conditioning system for a vehicle may include a cooling duct and a heating duct disposed as spaces partitioned by a partition wall and arranged to be adjacent to each other, each having an inlet, an interior outlet, and an exterior outlet, an evaporator core and an inner condenser disposed in the respective cooling and heating ducts, an outer condenser disposed extraneous to the heating duct and connected to the inner condenser and the evaporator core through one refrigerant passage, an air volume regulation door disposed on the partition wall partitioning the cooling and heating ducts while being arranged upstream of the evaporator core and the inner condenser in an air flow direction, and a common blower disposed at one side of the cooling and heating ducts to simultaneously form an air flow in the cooling and heating ducts.

The inner condenser may be an air-cooled condenser, and the outer condenser may be a water-cooled condenser. A compressor and an expansion valve may be connected on the refrigerant passage. Further, a compressor and an expansion valve may be connected on the refrigerant passage, and the refrigerant passage may include a cooling circulation passage in which a refrigerant may be circulated through the evaporator core, the compressor, a first branch point, the outer condenser, a second branch point, the inner condenser, and the expansion valve, and a heating circulation passage in which a refrigerant is branched from the first branch point to flow into the second branch point. The first branch point and the second branch point may be respectively provided with a first 3-way valve and a second 3-way valve.

The air conditioning system may further include a cooling-side exhaust regulation door disposed between the interior and exterior outlets of the cooling duct to regulate an outflow amount of air, and a heating-side exhaust regulation door disposed between the interior and exterior outlets of the heating duct to regulate an outflow amount of air. The air conditioning system may further include a controller configured to adjust an operation of the air volume regulation door, and when the air conditioning system is operated in a cooling mode, the controller may be configured to adjust the opening of the air volume regulation door to supply a portion of air in the cooling duct to the heating duct.

The air conditioning system may further include a controller configured to adjust an operation of the air volume regulation door, and when the air conditioning system is operated in a heating mode, the controller may be configured to adjust the opening of the air volume regulation door to supply a portion of air in the heating duct to the cooling duct. The air conditioning system may further include a controller configured to adjust operations of the first and second 3-way valves, and when the air conditioning system is operated in a cooling mode, the controller may be configured to operate the first and second 3-way valves to circulate a refrigerant in the cooling circulation passage.

The air conditioning system may further include a controller configured to adjust operations of the first and second 3-way valves, and when the air conditioning system is operated in a heating mode, the controller may be configured to operate the first and second 3-way valves to circulate a refrigerant in the heating circulation passage. The air conditioning system may further include a controller configured to adjust operations of the cooling-side exhaust regulation door and the heating-side exhaust regulation door, and when the air conditioning system is operated in a cooling mode, the controller may be configured to operate the cooling-side exhaust regulation door to close the cooling-side exterior outlet, and operate the heating-side exhaust regulation door to close the heating-side interior outlet.

The air conditioning system may further include a controller configured to adjust operations of the cooling-side exhaust regulation door and the heating-side exhaust regulation door, and when the air conditioning system is operated in a heating mode, the controller may be configured to operate the heating-side exhaust regulation door to close the heating-side exterior outlet, and operate the cooling-side exhaust regulation door to close the cooling-side interior outlet.

As apparent from the above description, an air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the present invention may have high energy efficiency even though coolant is not supplied to an engine, and may variably regulate air volume in cooling and heating ducts using a single blower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an air conditioning system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a circulation passage of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a cooling mode operation state of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a heating mode operation state of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a cooling mode circulation passage of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a heating mode circulation passage of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, combustion, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g. fuels derived from resources other than petroleum).

Although exemplary embodiment is described as using a plurality of units to perform the exemplary process, it is understood that the exemplary processes may also be performed by one or plurality of modules. Additionally, it is understood that the term controller/control unit refers to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store the modules and the processor is specifically configured to execute said modules to perform one or more processes which are described further below.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an air conditioning system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a circulation passage of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a cooling mode operation state of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a heating mode operation state of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a cooling mode circulation passage of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a heating mode circulation passage of the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a cooling duct 101 and a heating duct 201 which are spaces partitioned by a partition wall and are arranged to be adjacent to each other, each having an inlet, an interior outlet, and an exterior outlet, an evaporator core 109 and an inner condenser 209 disposed in the respective cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201 (e.g., the evaporator core 109 may be disposed in the cooling duct 101 and the inner condenser 209 may be disposed in the heating duct 201), an outer condenser 211 disposed extraneous to the heating duct 201 and connected to the inner condenser 209 and the evaporator core 109 via one refrigerant passage, an air volume regulation door 111 disposed on the partition wall that separates or divides the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201 and arranged upstream of the evaporator core 109 and the inner condenser 209 in an air flow direction, and a common blower 115 disposed at one side of the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201 to simultaneously form an air flow in the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201.

Referring to FIG. 1, the cooling duct 101 may include a cooling-side inlet 103 formed at a first side thereof, and cooling-side interior and exterior outlets 105 and 107 formed at a second side thereof, and the evaporator core 109 may be disposed in the cooling duct 101. The heating duct 201 may include a heating-side inlet 203 formed at a first side thereof, and heating-side interior and exterior outlets 205 and 207 formed at a second side thereof, and the inner condenser 209 may be disposed in the heating duct 201. In addition, the outer condenser 211 may be disposed extraneous to the heating duct 201 and connected to the inner condenser 209 and the evaporator core 109 through one refrigerant passage. The air volume regulation door 111 may be disposed upstream of the evaporator core 109 and the inner condenser 209 in the air flow direction on the partition wall partitioning the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201. The common blower 115 may be disposed at a first side of the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201 to simultaneously form an air flow in the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201.

In the air conditioning system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201 may be provided as separate independent spaces, thereby reducing interference between conditioned air and conditioned air in the respective cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201. Thus, it may be possible to improve the efficiency of the air conditioning system by preventing cooled air from being reheated or heated air from being recooled. In addition, since each of the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201 may include the interior outlet and the exterior outlet provided separately, the conditioned air may be discharged to the exterior, when necessary, as well as being supplied to the interior. The inner condenser 209 may be an air-cooled condenser, and the outer condenser 211 may be a water-cooled condenser. A compressor 301 and an expansion valve 303 may be connected to each other on the refrigerant passage.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the expansion valve 303, the evaporator core 109, the compressor 301, and the condenser may be disposed on one cooling line, and thus a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant passing through the compressor 301 may be used as a heat source. In other words, cooling and heating may be performed simultaneously using only a cooling system, unlike existing air conditioning systems for vehicles of the related art. This may be useful when a heat source such as engine coolant is not obtained.

In addition, since the air conditioning system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention eliminates the need for a separate heating line and water pump for heating, it has a simplified structure. Since the inner condenser 209 and the outer condenser 211 may be disposed in the air conditioning system, the cooling region of refrigerant may be expanded to increase heat radiation efficiency when the air conditioning system is operated in a cooling mode. Therefore, it may be possible to improve the efficiency of the air conditioning system.

The compressor 301 and the expansion valve 303 may be connected to each other on the refrigerant passage. The refrigerant passage may include a cooling circulation passage 501 in which a refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator core 109, the compressor 301, a first branch point 601, the outer condenser 211, a second branch point 603, the inner condenser 209, and the expansion valve 303, and a heating circulation passage 503 in which a refrigerant is branched from the first branch point 601 to flow into the second branch point 603. The first branch point 601 and the second branch point 603 may be respectively provided with a first 3-way valve and a second 3-way valve.

The air conditioning system may further include a controller 400 configured to adjust the operations of the first and second 3-way valves. When the air conditioning system is operated in the cooling mode, the controller 400 may be configured to operate the first and second 3-way valves to circulate a refrigerant in the cooling circulation passage 501. Additionally, the controller 400 may be configured to adjust the operations of the first and second 3-way valves. When the air conditioning system is operated in the heating mode, the controller 400 may be configured to operate the first and second 3-way valves to circulate a refrigerant in the heating circulation passage 503.

Referring to FIG. 2, the cooling circulation passage 501 may be configured such that the refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator core 109, the compressor 301, the first 3-way valve, the outer condenser 211, the second 3-way valve, the inner condenser 209, and the expansion valve 303. The heating circulation passage 503 may be configured such that, after the refrigerant passes through the evaporator core 109 and the compressor 301, it is branched from the first 3-way valve to be introduced into the second 3-way valve without passing through the outer condenser 211, and circulated through the inner condenser 209 and the expansion valve 303.

When the air conditioning system is operated in the cooling mode, it may be necessary to rapidly decrease the temperature of refrigerant passing through the condenser by increasing heat radiation of the condenser to increase the efficiency of the air conditioning system. Accordingly, since the temperature of refrigerant is decreased when the refrigerant passing through the expansion valve 303 is introduced into the evaporator core 109, a substantial amount of heat may be absorbed from air passing through the cooling duct 101. In particular, in the present invention, it may be possible to increase the efficiency of the air conditioning system by allowing the refrigerant to be circulated through the water-cooled outer condenser 211 as well as the air-cooled inner condenser 209 in the cooling circulation passage 501 to increase the heat radiation of refrigerant, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

When the air conditioning system is operated in the heating mode, it may be necessary to increase the temperature of refrigerant passing through the condenser. Accordingly, since a heat quantity supplied to air passing through the heating duct 201 is increased, it may be possible to increase the efficiency of the air conditioning system by allowing the refrigerant to be circulated, without passing through the water-cooled outer condenser 211, in the heating circulation passage 503, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Further, the air conditioning system may include a cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 disposed between the interior and exterior outlets of the cooling duct 101 to regulate an outflow amount of air, and a heating-side exhaust regulation door 213 disposed between the interior and exterior outlets of the heating duct 201 to regulate an outflow amount of air.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the present invention may regulate the supply of conditioned air to the interior or the discharge of conditioned air to the exterior using the cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 and the heating-side exhaust regulation door 213. Accordingly, it may be possible to more accurately perform interior air conditioning by adjusting the opening of the cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 and the heating-side exhaust regulation door 213 to adjust the mixed ratio of air conditioned by a cooling module or a heating module.

The air conditioning system may further include a controller 400 configured to adjust the operation of the air volume regulation door 111. When the air conditioning system is operated in the cooling mode, the controller 400 may be configured to operate and adjust the air volume regulation door 111 (e.g., adjust the opening amount or degree of the door) to supply a portion of air in the cooling duct 101 to the heating duct 201. The controller 400 may also be configured to adjust the operation of the air volume regulation door 111. When the air conditioning system is operated in the heating mode, the controller 400 may be configured to operate and adjust the air volume regulation door 111 to supply a portion of air in the heating duct 201 to the cooling duct 101.

In the present invention, the air conditioning system may include a single common blower 115 to supply air to the cooling and heating ducts 101 and 201. However, air volume in each duct should be regulated when the air conditioning system performs cooling or heating. For example, when the air conditioning system is operated in the cooling mode, it is advantageous to decrease the temperature of air passing through the evaporator core 109 of the cooling duct 101 even though a minimal amount of air passes therethrough and to supply the air to the interior, for cooling of interior air. In addition, as described above, it may be possible to increase cooling efficiency by increasing heat radiation of the condenser to decrease the temperature of refrigerant passing through the evaporator core 109.

Accordingly, the present invention allows a portion of air, introduced into the cooling duct 101 when the system is operated in the cooling mode, to be supplied to the heating duct 201 by controlling the air volume regulation door 111, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Consequently, it may be possible to increase cooling efficiency in the vehicle interior by increasing heat radiation of the condenser to decrease the temperature of refrigerant passing through the evaporator core 109. Similarly, when the air conditioning system is operated in the heating mode, it is advantageous to increase the temperature of air passing through the condenser of the heating duct 201 even though a minimal amount of air passes therethrough and to supply the air to the interior, for heating of interior air. In addition, it may be possible to further increase the temperature of air passing through the condenser by increasing heat absorption of the evaporator core 109 to increase the temperature of refrigerant and the temperature of air passing through the condenser.

Accordingly, the present invention allows a portion of air, introduced into the heating duct 201 when the system is operated in the heating mode, to be supplied to the cooling duct 101 by controlling the air volume regulation door 111, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Consequently, it may be possible to increase heating efficiency in the vehicle interior by increasing heat absorption of the evaporator core 109 to further increase the temperature of air passing through the condenser.

Moreover, the air conditioning system may further include a controller 400 configured to adjust the operations of the cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 and the heating-side exhaust regulation door 213. When the air conditioning system is operated in the cooling mode, the controller 400 may be configured to operate the cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 to close the cooling-side exterior outlet 107, and the controller 400 may be configured to operate the heating-side exhaust regulation door 213 to close the heating-side interior outlet 205.

Referring to FIG. 3, in the maximum cooling mode, the cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 may be configured to close the cooling-side exterior outlet 107 to allow the cooled air to be supplied to the interior, and the heating-side exhaust regulation door 213 may be configured to close the heating-side interior outlet 205 to allow the heated air to be discharged to the exterior.

The air conditioning system may further include a controller 400 configured to adjust the operations of the cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 and the heating-side exhaust regulation door 213 (e.g., adjust the opening amount or opening degree of the doors). When the air conditioning system is operated in the heating mode, the controller 400 may be configured to operate the heating-side exhaust regulation door 213 to close the heating-side exterior outlet 207, and the controller 400 may be configured to operate the cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 to close the cooling-side interior outlet 105.

Referring to FIG. 4, in the maximum heating mode, the heating-side exhaust regulation door 213 may be configured to close the heating-side exterior outlet 207 to allow the heated air to be supplied to the interior, and the cooling-side exhaust regulation door 113 may be configured to close the cooling-side interior outlet 105 to allow the cooled air to be discharged to the exterior.

Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An air conditioning system for a vehicle, comprising: a cooling duct and a heating duct provided as spaces partitioned by a partition wall and arranged to be adjacent to each other, each having an inlet, an interior outlet, and an exterior outlet; an evaporator core and an inner condenser disposed respectively in the cooling and heating ducts; an outer condenser disposed extraneous to the heating duct and connected to the inner condenser and the evaporator core via one refrigerant passage; an air volume regulation door disposed on the partition wall that partitions the cooling and heating ducts while being arranged upstream of the evaporator core and the inner condenser in an air flow direction; and a common blower disposed at one side of the cooling and heating ducts to simultaneously form an air flow in the cooling and heating ducts.
 2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the inner condenser is an air-cooled condenser and the outer condenser is a water-cooled condenser.
 3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein a compressor and an expansion valve are connected to each other on the refrigerant passage.
 4. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein a compressor and an expansion valve are connected to each other on the refrigerant passage; wherein the refrigerant passage includes: a cooling circulation passage in which a refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator core, the compressor, a first branch point, the outer condenser, a second branch point, the inner condenser, and the expansion valve; and a heating circulation passage in which a refrigerant is branched from the first branch point to flow into the second branch point.
 5. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the first branch point and the second branch point are respectively provided with a first 3-way valve and a second 3-way valve.
 6. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a cooling-side exhaust regulation door disposed between the interior and exterior outlets of the cooling duct to regulate an outflow amount of air; and a heating-side exhaust regulation door disposed between the interior and exterior outlets of the heating duct to regulate an outflow amount of air.
 7. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller configured to adjust an operation of the air volume regulation door, wherein when the air conditioning system is operated in a cooling mode, the controller is configured to adjust the air volume regulation door to supply a portion of air in the cooling duct to the heating duct.
 8. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller configured to adjust an operation of the air volume regulation door, wherein when the air conditioning system is operated in a heating mode, the controller is configured to adjust the air volume regulation door to supply a portion of air in the heating duct to the cooling duct.
 9. The air conditioning system according to claim 5, further comprising: a controller configured to adjust operations of the first and second 3-way valves, wherein when the air conditioning system is operated in a cooling mode, the controller is configured to operate the first and second 3-way valves to circulate a refrigerant in the cooling circulation passage.
 10. The air conditioning system according to claim 5, further comprising: a controller configured to adjust operations of the first and second 3-way valves, wherein when the air conditioning system is operated in a heating mode, the controller is configured to operate the first and second 3-way valves to circulate a refrigerant in the heating circulation passage.
 11. The air conditioning system according to claim 6, further comprising: a controller configured to adjust operations of the cooling-side exhaust regulation door and the heating-side exhaust regulation door, wherein when the air conditioning system is operated in a cooling mode, the controller is configured to operate the cooling-side exhaust regulation door to close the cooling-side exterior outlet, and operate the heating-side exhaust regulation door to close the heating-side interior outlet.
 12. The air conditioning system according to claim 6, further comprising a controller configured to adjust operations of the cooling-side exhaust regulation door and the heating-side exhaust regulation door, wherein when the air conditioning system is operated in a heating mode, the controller is configured to operate the heating-side exhaust regulation door to close the heating-side exterior outlet, and operate the cooling-side exhaust regulation door to close the cooling-side interior outlet. 